Time and Time Again
by Sliverloc303
Summary: Really, it was all Gavroche's idea. He was the one who got the ball rolling with Eponine's dating life and here they all are now. He expects to be paid in wedding cake. Follow up story to It's About Time.


**Time and Time Again**

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of this.

**I really can't believe people like It's About Time so much! I can't even believe it! Thank you for reading it and liking it and putting it on your favourites. A special thanks to divadevonanderson on tumblr who did a beautiful gifset of the story; it's amazing! Everyone in this fandom is so talented and I hope you guys like this follow up.**

* * *

Living in big house is a new thing for Gavroche; living with a complete family is another.

It's chaos in the mornings and right before bed; there are also these things called chores which he really doesn't like. There are fights over the TV and dinner time is like feeding the masses. But it's warm and safe and Gavroche sleeps soundly at night.

He especially loves his room. Eponine stuck glow in the dark stars on his ceiling and Enjolras printed out colourful photos of his travels so Gavroche could cover his walls with them.

He's in his room when he hears Eponine shriek.

He freezes, his mind going back to dark times at the inn when he last heard that noise and it's only when Azlema runs past his open door with Peter and Jacques does he throw his book aside and sprits to Eponine and Enjolras' room. All four of them reach the open door at the same time and look in.

It's a big room with a large bay window looking out at the back garden. The cream carpet matched the sheets on the large bed and the brown furniture is a shade of chocolate. They each catch their breath before startling at the sight in the room. Eponine and Enjolras are lying on the ground, Eponine on top of her boyfriend kissing him over and over again.

"Ew!" Gavroche groans and moves to cover Peter and Jacques eyes when he sees it for himself. That shining ring on her left hand.

Azlema must have seen it too because she screams in his ear, causing him to deafen slightly. The couple in the room see them now and jump up, Eponine showing the ring to her sister.

"What's going on?" Peter asks confused and Gavroche looks down at him. He gives both his younger brothers a toothy smile and replies, "Eponine and Enjolras are getting married."

His brothers cheer and run into the room, Enjolras picking up Jacques and Eponine holding Peter.

His sister looks at him and asks, "Surprised Roche?" She's asking him with an air of concern. Peter and Jacques are ecstatic, Azelma is happy for her sister but Gavroche has always been a hard one to pin down.

He shrugs and replies, "Not really; he asked for my permission."

Eponine turned to her new fiancé who grinned. "I know it's old fashioned but I thought I should make sure the main guy is your life was ok with it."

Peter and Jacques frown in unison at this and start to complain but Azelma distracts them by declaring ice cream as a celebration. When they're gone, Eponine leans down to hug Gavroche.

"Thanks Roche. You are my main guy you do know that right?" she says and he nods casually as he strolls towards the stairs.

He knows he is. Peter and Jacques will never know and will hopefully never have to be told of the Life Before the Escape. Their mother will always be Eponine and their father will be the guy who showed up later on. Gavroche is one who remembers a little and cares for her a lot. It seemed right that Enjolras asked him.

Plus he was getting ice cream before dinner.

* * *

Most kids learn how to speak correctly from their parents; it's how accents and slang language come to be. Gavroche leaned how to con from his.

It's not that his father sat him down and taught him how steal or his mother made him practise pick pocketing. But just by being around them until he was ten-no matter how much Eponine shielded him- Gavroche has picked up on how to survive on the streets.

He's particularly proud of how he can charm people with a grin and puppy dog eyes. That won't last forever so he gets great use of it while he can; his teachers don't stand a chance.

This skill came in handy when he and Azelma were allowed to go to a dinner with Eponine and Enjolras for lawyers and their fancy families. After seeing the snobby looks everyone gave Eponine and the side eyes that Enjolras got, Gavroche had decided that it was time to take over. He was literally the most well behaved child there. The old ladies pinched his cheek and he didn't say a word, the men ruffled his hair and he didn't snap at them. He said please and thank you and Eponine looks at him like he's been taken over by aliens. Even Enjolras, who can usually keep his face neutral, let his jaw drop when Gavroche comments on how it's way past his bedtime at the end of night.

People marvelled at such a well mannered young boy.

Yes, he may be part of a new family but he's still a Thenardier. And they know how to survive.

* * *

It's this survival that tells him that something is watching him; someone is watching all of them. Gavroche can feel the hairs stand up on the back of his neck when they're out on the street and he double locks the doors even after Enjolras has made sure they're bolted.

He doesn't tell anyone because Eponine will worry and she might even postpone the wedding. And as far as Gavroche is concerned, she postponed her happiness long enough.

But Eponine and Enjolras don't wait around for the wedding so the planning kind of takes his mind off it. He's a groomsman with Combeferre, Courfeyrac and Grantaire. All three of them make a joke that it's a reunion of Eponine's possible boyfriends and they seriously believe it doesn't get old.

Enjolras wants him to hold the rings and all Peter and Jacques have to do it sit in the pew quietly; which means Azelma will bring colouring books to distract them during the service. Some bishop who is apparently an old friend of Cosette's father offered to marry them in his church and Mr Jean Valjean was even nice enough to let the Thenardier siblings stay at his house the night of the wedding so Eponine and Enjolras can have the house to themselves.

Gavroche isn't sure why they can't all stay in the house like every night but when he asks this to Eponine she just says Enjolras will tell him when he's older. And Gavroche is _really_ not sure why her fiancé had a coughing fit after hearing her say that.

* * *

So the sunny day of the wedding arrives much sooner than Gavroche expects it too. The girls have taken over their house with Cosette and Azelma taking their bridesmaids' duties very seriously. This means the boys have to get ready at Mr Jean Valjean's house; which is cool because he has a huge TV and a large supply of snacks.

Peter and Jacques are in their suits and watching a cartoon while Combeferre is trying to help Courfeyrac with cufflinks. Grantaire is downstairs with Mr Jean Valjean talking about a bottle of scotch that he's been keeping for Cosette's wedding. Gavroche is in the hallway looking in the large mirror while Enjolras puts on his tie.

"Alright, so you just put this part through here and there you go."

Gavroche raises an eyebrow at his red tie but says nothing. Enjolras stands beside him, his white collar popped upwards as he does his own tie.

"Nervous?" Gavroche asks and Enjolras smiles down at him. "Kind of. I mean if I'm honest I didn't think I'd ever get married and then your sister showed up. I didn't love her right away and she thought I was made of ice but things happened and we got to know each other. And I honestly can't think of any other way I would have liked my life to turn out."

He looks back at the mirror and Gavroche stares at him. Enjolras meets his gaze in the mirror and they both don't move for a few moments.

Gavroche knows he's the odd one out of the siblings when it comes to Enjolras. Azlema is like a little sister already and Peter and Jaques are without a doubt becoming his sons. But Gavroche? Gavroche is like Eponine's little bodyguard; her main guy. He dances between son, little brother and interrogator all at once. Gavroche is the person he's got to prove things to.

So he sighs slightly and says, "I love her Roche; with every ounce of my soul. I literally can't imagine not living in our home with her and all of you."

Gavroche grins at him and replies, "Alright, no need to get soft."

Enjolras laughs as he straightens his tie and put down his collar. They are ready just as Jacques shouts up the stairs, "Papa, your phone is ringing!"

Enjolras hurries them both down the stairs, calling to Combeferre and Courfeyrac to hurry up. Enjolras reaches the phone just before it rings out and Gavroche puts on another cartoon for his brothers. Enjolras starts rooting around in a bag by the door only to pull out a square jewellery box.

"Yup, I'll send Roche over with it now," Enjolras says before he hangs up. "Azlema says that Eponine must have gotten the bags mixed up; this is the necklace she wanted to wear today. Will you run over and give it to her?" he asks and Gavroche doesn't even hesitate before grabbing the box.

He doesn't like being cooped up for so long and there's an excitement in the air that makes him want to do something other than wait around. So he hurried out the back door of the house and through the garden.

As their houses are on the same street, there's a common ally way behind their gardens. Gavroche goes out the garden gate and turns left to go the three houses down to their own garden. He stops however when he sees someone standing in the ally way; by their gate.

He walks slowly and sees the person's face and Gavroche know, he _knows_, that this is the person who has been watching them for the past few weeks.

"Montparnasse..." he mutters and the man himself turns to look at him. The cigarette moved from the right side of his smirking mouth to his left as he said, "Well, well, little Gavroche Thenardier. Look at you all dressed up."

Clearly Eponine's old boyfriend is still a criminal because A) he's lurking, the creep and B) he dresses like in clothes that used to be clean and are now too worn. Plus, he's like Gavroche's father; too lazy to try an honest day's work.

Montparnasse is leaning against the wall, his hands in his pockets. "So, you and your sister are playing upstanding citizens are you? How very nice. I wonder does that rich boy know who you all really are though?"

Gavroche's angry now. The past is past and the people who were left there were left there for a reason. No way was he ruining their new live; defiantly not today. Enjolras loves Epoine despite her past; in some way because of it. But how could Montparnasse understand that?

"She doesn't love you," he says simply, "She never loved you."

The older man is startled at this statement and Gavroche immediately sees that he's hit a nerve. Yup, Gavroche may have been younger when Eponine was with Montparnasse but even then he saw the truth. Parnasse was like Peter or Jaques, constantly wanting her attention; her love. The difference was that when they didn't get it, the boys would cry while Parnasse would hit. He was like a child who wanted a toy all to himself; he paled in comparison to Enjolras.

"You really need to get over it," Gavroche says, "She loves him-you know who I'm talking about."

Montparnasse's jaw tightens and Gavroche snaps out, "You only get to be angry if there was even a chance she'd go back to you. Just leave! Go away and never come back. My old man and his wife listened so why don't you."

Montparnasse pulls the cigarette out of his mouth and puts it out with his boot. "They've gone to America, your parents. Took a plane to L.A. and haven't looked back. Your parents left you here without caring what happens to you."

"My parents," Gavroche says coldly, "left a long time before now and if anyone else finds you here or anywhere near us, Enjolras will drag you backwards through the courts until he gets you locked up for the rest of your life."

"Big words little Thenardier," Montparnasse spits out, "But I always figured words were all you were."

Before he could take a step forward the garden gate behind Gavroche bangs open and Enjolras is there. The tight knot that had been in Gavroche's chest since he had seen Montparnasse disappeared, even more so when Combeferre, Courfeyrac and Grantaire also appeared.

"Roche," Enjolras says evenly, eyes not leaving Montparnasse, "Go give your sister the necklace."

Gavroche hurries past Montparnasse and into the garden. He didn't know what they were going to do but he was sure now that Montparnasse would not bother them again. Enjolras has enough friends in the courts to scare even Montparnasse.

The garden was already being set up with tents and a temporary wooden floor for the reception so Gavroche ran past the people setting up and through the back door of his house. He skirts past Cosette who is curling the last few parts of Azelma's hair in the living room and he takes the stairs two at a time.

He finally stops outside the half open door of the master bedroom and debates about wither or not to tell Eponine. No, no he wouldn't; he didn't want to ruin the day and Enjolras would tell her later. So Gavroche pushes the door open and looks around for his sister. He stops when he sees her.

She is standing shoeless on a footstool so that she can see her full reflection in the three long mirrors in front of her. She sees him in the glass and turns with a smile. "What do you think Roche?"

Her dark hair is pinned up in a side bun with wisps curling around it. Her white dress has two straps and goes in at her waist. It's long and flows down to her bare feet and she looks like a princess or an angel. Gavroche is nearly blinded by the ecstatic smile on her face. But Gavroche is eleven and a boy; he doesn't do this whole dress and mushy thing.

So he shrugs and replies, "It's alright."

Eponine laughs because she thinks that's the biggest complement she'll ever get from him. She sits down on the footstool and put on her high heeled shoes; Gavroche strolls over with the jewellery box. He gives it to her and she opens the blue lid to look at the simple diamond necklace that Enjolras had bought her for their first anniversary of dating.

"I nearly passed out when I couldn't find it," she said, taking it out and leaving the box on the floor. "Will you put it on for me Roche?" she asks and he takes it from her.

The clasp is small but he makes sure it's on right because he doesn't want her to lose it either.

She adjusts it from her seat and Gavroche finally blurts out, "You look beautiful Maman."

Eponine freezes and stares at him in the mirror. Gavroche can already tell that she going to cry so he hugs her from behind, his arms wrapped around her shoulder and his cheek resting between her shoulder blades. She hugs him back by holding onto his arms and for a moment, they both remember. He remembers how she told him they were playing hide and seek when she would hide him for their father's drunken rages. She remembers the day he was born and how she was the first to hold him. And they both remember how a long time ago, they never thought their lives could be this good.

Gavroche pulls away and says, "I'll tell Cosette that you're ready. I better head back anyway."

"Alright," Eponine says in a thick voice, "But make sure you go out front; you know I don't like it when you take the ally way."

"Ya, ya Eponine I know." He hurries out the door and listens to her this time.

* * *

The church is smaller then he thought it would be but has enough room for all the guests. Enjolras is standing at the top of the aisle with his groomsmen and since none of them have blood on their suits, Gavroche is pretty sure they didn't actually kill Montparnasse. But he was gone and Gavroche hopes he stays that way.

The guests are in the pews and the bishop is ready to start. They are just waiting on Eponine.

Marius isn't an official groomsman but that's only because Cosette has him as the bridesmaids' practical slave. He had to help Cosette with everything before the wedding and he was the one driving them to the church.

Gavroche is holding the rings in a red box and Grantaire is looking worse for wear already. "I swear, I have been up since seven and if I don't get a fucking drink in the next hour I will punch someone."

Combeferre sighs at his friend swearing in the church but the bishop just laughs good naturally.

Enjolras however, pushes him in the arm and hisses at him, "What have I told you about swearing around my kid?"

Grantaire just ruffles Gavroche's hair. He's about to fix his hair again when Azlema is suddenly by their side. "Hey! I need to borrow Roche."

The two siblings head down the side of the church and the guest start to quiet down now that they know the bride is here. They walk out into the porch of the church and Eponine, Cosette and Marius are there. Marius gives him a smile and Cosette fixes Eponine's veil.

When she sees her brother, Eponine crouches down and Gavroche can see her bunch of red flowers in her hand. "Roche," she said through her light veil, "I don't know how I didn't think of this before but would you mind walking me down the aisle?"

Gavroche looks up at Cosette and Azlema and then back at Eponine. "Well what do I have to do?"

Eponine laughs and replies, "Just hold my hand and walk me to Enjolras; then go stand beside him."

Gavroche shrugged and does as he's told; but he's confused as to why Cosette is nearly bawling crying and Azelma is sniffing. You would think it was a big deal or something.

The music starts and they walk into the church. People are standing and smiling and when Enjolras sees Eponine, Gavroche is afraid for a moment that he's going to feint. But they make to him without anyone passing out and Gavroche sees that as a success.

Eponine and Enjolras smile at each other before realising that Gavroche is still standing there. He looks up at Enjolras and says, "If you hurt her..."

He points at his sister. "She'll make you regret it."

A ripple of laughter goes through the guests and Eponine hurries him over to the other groomsmen.

* * *

Weddings are actually really boring in Gavroche's opinion.

There's a lot of talking and sitting down and standing up again; at least Peter and Jacques get colouring books. He's starts counting the squares in the ceiling but Courfeyrac made him lose count by poking him in the back. He did that because it was time to give Enjolras the rings but still.

Soon the ceremony was over and Gavroche couldn't wait till they got back to the house because he had seen the wedding cake already. And being a groomsman makes you hungry. There were photos to be taken and he smiled through them; he rode back with Grantaire and Combeferre to the house.

* * *

The back garden looked like it had been attacked by fireflies. A giant canopy went from the house with the back wall and the roof of it has tiny lights that glowed softly. The wooden floor was down and tables and chairs were set up with place settings. A bar was set up along the left wall under some cherry trees and a stage sat at the bottom of the garden.

Gavroche didn't know how everyone else like the dinner but he had three helpings and two slices of wedding cake.

The tables were cleared away later on in the night for the dancing and that's when the celebrations really started. Enjolras and Eponine's friends took over the dance floor and the Les Amies hoisted Gavroche up on their shoulders. He could see over the whole crowd and laughed so much he nearly got sick.

He spotted Enjolras and Eponine walking hand and hand through the back door of the house. He tapped Joly's head to put him down and he skirted around the crowd. He passes Grantaire who is complaining to Courfeyrac that the wedding is a disaster as the bar just ran out of shots and both bridesmaids are off limits.

Gavroche gives him little thought as he walks up to the back door. Looking around the doorframe, he sees Enjolras and Eponine in the kitchen. His sister is sipping a glass of water, her cheeks red and Enjolras has his arms wrapped around her from behind, his chin sitting on her shoulder.

Gavroche looks at them for a moment, not really knowing what to do. They were married now; they were all living together. It felt like one of Jacques or Peter's jigsaw where all the pieces were finally coming together to make a picture. Eponine saw him in the doorway and she put her glass down on the table.

"Now that I see you; you've reminded that it's time for you and your brothers to get to bed."

Gavroche barely gets time to protest before Enjolras goes out to get Peter and Jacques, who are both nearly half asleep already. The newly married couple take a break from the dancing to walk down the street and into Mr Jean Valjean's house. Azlema is taking Cosette's old room but she's allowed stay up much later, much to Gavroche's disgust.

The boys are in the guest room, with Peter and Jacques sharing the double bed and Gavroche sleeping on the camp bed.

"But I'm not tiered Papa," Peter complains but his brother is already asleep and three minutes later so is he.

Cosette pokes her head into the green painted room and whispers to Eponine something about Grantaire and standing on the bar singing 'Oom Pah Pah!' so soon it's just him and Enjolras awake.

Gavroche watches as Enjolras puts his groomsman suit away carefully. Gavroche really doesn't see the point in folding it neatly. Enjolras has taken off his jacket and rolled up his white shirt sleeves while he's pretty Grantaire's suit is stained beyond repair. Enjolras finishes and walked over to Gavroche, making sure the blankets cover him.

"Now Jean is downstairs if you need him; his bedroom is across the hall if you need anything during the night and if you hear someone come in it's probably Azelma," Enjolras says, sitting on the side of the bed.

Gavroche nods silently and Enjolras is about to get up when the young boy speaks. "You are stuck with us now."

Gavroche sees him turn back to him so he adds, "I know you love her but you got the four of us as well. Just to let you know."

Enjolras smiles at him and for a second Gavroche is afraid he has seen right through him. He's afraid that Enjolras knows he's still scared of losing this peaceful family; that Enjolras is aware that despite the front he puts up, Gavroche wants the people he loves to keep loving him back. But then he think that's not possible but he's a sneaky guy and Enjolras _can't_ be that smart.

Enjolras just nods and replies, "We're a family now; nothing is ever going to change that."

Gavroche nods and turns on his side to go to sleep. Enjolras stand up and turns of the light; opening the door to leave.

"Goodnight Papa."

He freezes in the doorway but doesn't turn around. Gavroche really hopes he doesn't because that last thing he wants to make big deal about this.

So Enjolras just says, "Goodnight Gavroche," and closes the door, leaving it only a little bit open to let in the light from the hallway. Gavroche checks his brothers before closing his eyes.

It's not a big deal; he called Eponine Maman so he should call Enjolras Papa just to be fair. Ya, it's just to be fair.

* * *

The night goes on; the dancing comes to an end.

Goodbyes are said and present are left to be opened until morning. The canopy is pulled down; the bar and the floor are packed up and put away. Combeferre and Courfeyrac drag a drunk Grantaire home, as much as he wishes to spin around in the quiet street singing 'You are my Sunshine'.

Soon it is just Eponine and Enjolras.

She is already upstairs in their bedroom and he is finishing locking up the house. He walks up the stairs and into the bedroom only to stop and stare at his new wife. She is still in her wedding dress, her hair still in place. Eponine is spinning around in her bare feet, her dress twirling around her. He leans against the door frame and watches her for a moment. She catches sight of him and stops, slightly unbalanced and dizzy. She smiles at him and he finds himself smiling back at her.

Suddenly her whole face lights up even more and he says, "Oh! Gavroche called me Maman today."

Enjolras strolls over to her with his hands in his suit pockets. "He called me Papa. I really didn't think he ever would."

"He won't always call us that you know," Eponine says, "It'll be few times he will call us anything other than our names. You know what Roche is like."

"Yes, but perhaps today was a special occasion," Enjolras says, reaching out to take her hands. She rests her forehead against his and closes her eyes.

She commits every moment of the day to memory, especially this moment. She shakes her head slightly, her brown hair rustling with his blonde. Eponine opens her eyes and he's still there, still looking at her with more love than she can ever imagine.

"Men like you don't fall in love with women like me," she whisper but he just shakes his head.

"Yes, we do. I did and I am thankful everyday that you spilt that entire pitcher of water over me."

Eponine's mouth falls open and she says, "For the last time, that was your fault! You stood up too fast."

"Ya, I did actually."

Eponine stares at him, pulling her face back to look at him without getting too distracted. "Are you telling me that you got water spilt on yourself just to meet me and denied for months?"

Enjolras thought for a second before saying, "No, the aim was to stand up and say hi; you know I'm not that good at speaking to woman. The water was an unfortunate accident. And then when I found out you knew Marius well, I knew I just had to wait."

Eponine wrapped her arms around his shoulders and he pulled her in tight to his chest. "I have a proposition for you however," he said, "Living happily ever after?"

Eponine pretends to think; then she replies, "Alright; I mean if things get out of control I can just spill water on you again."

Enjolras laughs and picks her up; her dress spinning around her, before they both fall onto the bed.

* * *

Gavroche doesn't get the whole having to tell people where he's going before he leaves the house. He'll write a note in case Eponine looses it or Enjolras worries but if he's only going to be gone for a few minutes, he doesn't bother.

So the morning after the wedding, he skips out of Mr Jean Valjean's house and goes to his own house with the spare key. There is still some wedding cake left over and he bets he can eat it for breakfast before Azelma sees him.

The house is silent and he takes some slices of cake from the fridge without a sound.

As he walks past the stairs, munching on a piece, he realised that his game console is upstairs. He knows that he's about to clear a level on it and he really knows that he won't get much time to play today because of the post-wedding barbecue (yes, more food!).

But everyone got kicked out of the house so Enjolras and Eponine could be alone for some reason and _everyone_ kept trying not to laugh when he asked. Also when Grantaire was in between performances last night, he yelled something to Enjolras about "live long and get laid" whatever the heck that meant.

So Gavroche stood at the bottom of the stairs for one more moment before saying, "Not worth it," and walking out the door.

* * *

**I wasn't sure if I should put the Eponine and Enjolras scene in there but I hope it worked well. This one was a little different from It's About Time but only to show how much Gavroche cares about Eponine.**


End file.
